To compare both calibers we have to break down each round for specific tasks.
This creates more opportunity for malfunctions due to carbon buildup, and generally means a rifle shooting steel-cased ammo will be less reliable in the long run, although there are some exceptions I’ll get to in a minute. Abe November 17, 2015 Personal Opinion 9 Comments. The .223 will achieve velocities of about 2500fps to higher velocity rounds pushing 3200fps. The bullet diameter is actually .224” Rounds range from a 55-grain bullet at the low end to a 77-grain bullet at the high end. Steel, though cheaper, is less malleable and creates a poorer seal and so generally runs dirtier across the board. I was privy to a conversation at a local gun shop where a man was pondering the purchase of a long gun for home protection.
Prudent homeowners understand that the best form of defense for themselves and their families against assault is a firearm.
Its really difficult to define which one is best because both calibers have their own advantages. Not so with the 55fmj bulk stuff (I do but barely).
Choosing right ammunition for self defence and hunting is really important for gun owners. The Speer Gold Dot Rifle ammunition line offers loads for three of the most popular personal defensive long-gun calibers: .223 Rem., .300 Blackout and .308 Win. The .223 bullet needs less pressure, thus meaning that it could still be handled in a 5.56 gun. Both the 9mm and .223 Remington rounds passed completely through.
Even FMJ .223/5.56mm will yaw and fragment in tissue or tissue simulant if it has sufficient velocity, the FMJ loads will usually split at the cannelure and the resultant fragments take their own path through tissue.
Let’s assess both options in this 5.7×28 vs. 9mm debate. Price Comparison Advantage: 9mm Luger. Which one is better? You’re probably aware there’s a raging debate about the 5.56 / .223 cartridge’s “stopping power” these days. With a 16" barrel you have more velocity and energy in the 223 at the muzzle and it sheds its energy a lot slower than the 9mm because of the design of the bullet. The difference in freebore length — usually 0.0566 inch for the 5.56 NATO and 0.025 inch for the .223 Rem. I would definitely agree a 9mm is effective beyond 25 yards, but the 9mm doesn't have a "lot more takedown power" than the 223 at any range. Comparing apple to apples, 9mm FMJ ammo costs about half that of .223 FMJ ammo. 22lr or 9mm? The 5.7×28 has more than double the 9mm’s muzzle velocity — not only because it generates a higher chamber pressure, but also because its bullet weighs three quarters less. In particular, an average .223 bullet will be loaded at a pressure level 7,000 PSI lower than what you would get out of a 5.56 rifle.